Michael D Higgins today opened the new €15 million state-of-the-art Student Centre in Dublin City University.

Funded completely by donations, ‘the U’, a purpose-built facility housing a broad range of activities and support services, will serve the needs of DCU’s rapidly growing student community, now numbering over 17,000.

Key features include a Student Leadership and Life-Skills Centre, Performing Arts and Cultural spaces for students and the wider community, and an Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hub for national and international student initiatives.

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'The U' will also contain two ‘escape pods’ to provide a social space for students with autism.

Earlier this year, the university completed an 18-month project that led to it being declared the world’s first autism-friendly university by autism advocacy charity AsIAm.

DCU Prof Brian MacCraith said: “Today’s opening of ‘the U’ represents a major milestone for everyone associated with DCU, a day where our commitment to the personal and professional development of our students is reflected in a magnificent facility.

"Today is also significant because it demonstrates what can be achieved by partnership and generosity.